Sabre Thinking

17 Sep / Who Stopped the Presses?

Since the onslaught of digital marketing, Sabre and the rest of the world have watched the demand for print media and collateral decline. Direct mail is getting replaced by email marketing, and business cards by vCards and email signatures. A lot of companies are going paperless to preserve the environment, or costs, or both. All very good reasons, but there are other factors to consider.

Let’s look at the good old fashion business card! Some businesses feel they need business cards, but may not hold a lot of value in the print quality, as the card may get tossed in the garbage after their information is entered into the recipient’s contact management system. Some even feel business cards are no longer relevant. These are also those who send their email signature once, leaving you to dig for their contact information if it was not already saved. A business card, much like any print piece, is your calling card and should reflect the quality of your brand and how you do business at the first point of contact. A great business card can sometimes even become a good conversation piece!

In a previous blog post, we discussed the benefits of email marketing and direct mail. The return on investment is actually better if you do both. Print collateral is an effective way to reinforce your brand and service offerings, and it’s also a great way to maintain a coherent brand image through consistent colors and materials. If you are choosing to produce print materials, try to avoid the gang-run, overnight prints, and produce something that is well-crafted and stands out from the crowd. Your next print run may not look the same, and you could be hurting the brand image that you have painstakingly perfected!